Embeoidering machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

R. T. SMITH. EMBROIDERING MAGEINE.

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2 Sheets-She'et 2.

(No Model.)'

B. T. SMITH. EMBROIDERING 'MAGHINE.

No. 417,286 Patented Dec 17, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROSWVELL T. SMITH, OF NASHUA, NEXV HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND NATE IV. GODDARD, OF SAME PLACE, AND GEORGE II. DUNIIAM, OF

NEIV YORK, N. Y.

EMBROlDERlNG-MACHlNEf SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,286, dated December 1'7, 1889.

Application filed March 30, 1887. Serial No. 233,029, (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoswELL T. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and-State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Sewing-Machine Head, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sewing-machines in which a needle-bar gives a vibratory action to the sewing-needle.

The object of my invention is to furnish means whereby a needle carrying a thread of one quality, size, or color may be taken out of action and be replaced by one carrying another grade. vice shown and described in the following specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a gang of sewingmachines adapted for embroidering, showing one application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the needle-head. Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a detail of devices shown in Fig. 2.

Similar symbols refer to similar parts.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a supporting frame or table on which the stitch-forming device may be placed. This table may be of any convenient form and may be adapted for a single sewing-machine run by foot or a gang of machines run by power. For the stitch formation I show a needle-bar with connections of the Singer type. This of itself requires no description, as it is in universal use for shuttle-machines.

In working the under thread I show no device; but I preferably use a shuttle moved by the ordinary well-known means, but may use any of the well-known devices in place of the shuttle, such as the hook and spool of the Wheeler & WVilson type or the hook of the \VillcoX & Gibbs type, my invention relating to the needle-bar and its connections only.

Upon the frame 1 is placed the sewing-machine arm 49, of any approved construction, carrying a shaft 50. Upon the forward end of the shaft is placed the disk 52, having a wrist-pin 53, which carries a reciprocating needle-bar driver 54. In this head is a heartshaped cam-race 55, in which the wrist-pin I accomplish this by the deruns, whereby the proper movement is given.

The reciprocating needle-bar driver 54. moves in ways 56, formed in the vertical head 57 of the machine-arm, the construction being such as that shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The outer surface of the reciprocating needle-bar driver 5 5 54 is flush with the face of the vertical head 57, a chamber 58 being formed in the latter for the said disk 52 and a space 59 for the reciprocating needle-bar driver 54:. Just below this space are horizontal rails 60,rigidly 60 mounted on and projecting from the vertical head 57, the ends of the said rails terminating at the channel 56, in which the reciprocating needle-bar driver 54, moves. Upon the latter is rigidly mounted a short rail-seoseries of independent needle-bars 63, each moving in its own groove in the inner face of said stitchii'ig-head and each carrying a needle. Separate eyes 64: guide several threads to separate tension devices 65, and in a similar manner separate take-up arms 66 are provided, which receive the threads as they pass to the needles. In short, each stitching-head 62 contains a series of complete but wholly independent stitch-forming devices, one set being an exact duplicate of each of the others. 8 5

These devices may or may not be novel, and for the purposes. of this application I have shown essentially the same construction as that used in the Singer sewing-1nacl1ine, save in these essential features, in which the requirements of the work have called for modification.

I have shown in each stitching-head four separate needles, each having its own tension devices, and each needle-bar being capable of independent action. Each stitching-head is so mounted that it is capable of horizontal adjustment upon the vertical head 57 of the machine-arm, there bein an overlapping portion 67 above and a similaroverlap 68 below,

by which the parts are held closely together, while the stitching-head may slide freely in either direction. In the rear face of eachnecdle-bar 63 is formed a transverse groove (59, Fig. 10, located at such point that said groove may be brought into alignment with rails (50, mounted on vertical head 57. 3y adjusting the stitching-head 62 until one of the said n eedle-bars is in engagement with rail-seetion 61, carried by the reciprocating needle-bar driver 54:, operative action will be given said needle-bar, while the other members of the series will remain inactive. As long as this engagement continues the needle carried by said bar will rise and fall and form its stitches in the usual manner. The stitching-head (52 may be moved upon vertical head 57 in any convenient way so as to bring the selected needle into action. In Fig. l I have shown one waya way which is well adapted for gang-machines. Projecting from the face of each stitching-head (52 is a lug 70, through whicha horizontal shaft 7l passes, said shaft being j ournaled in supporting-brackets 7 2, extending, from the head 57, from the table 1, or from any other convenient support. Upon eachside of the lug 7O lies a collar 73, rigid on the shaft 71, whereby any longitudinal adj ustment given to the shaft must be equally imparted to the stitching-head. A portion '71 of the said shaft is threaded, and the thread engages with a female thread formed in one of the journal-boxes 72, which support the shaft. By revolving the latter by a crank 7% all the stitching-heads (32 may be simultaneously adjusted to bring any one of the needlebars sliding in each into operative engagement with the reciprocating needle-bar driver 54.

It is intended that each ofthe independent needles in each stitching-head 62 shall carry thread of a different color or grade, so that by adjusting the shaft 71 in the manner already described a different color or grade of thread maybe brought into the designs at any point. For example, let it be supposed that the needles in each head are threaded with white, red, green, and black, which are colors called for in the pattern. By ad j usting the stitching-heads (32 in either direction all the needles carrying the white threads may be brought into engagement with the reciprocating head 5i, and those parts of the design to be incorporated with white threads may be worked. The needles being raised, the stitching-heads are all moved by the shaft 71 until the needles carrying the next color of thread required are geared with the head, the heads 54 by the grooves in the needle-bars engaging the rail-sections 01.

Each needle having its own tension, I employ, preferably, the usual form of tensiondisks 65, between which the thread is passed, being Wound once around the shaft 9S,which carries said disks. These shafts pass through the inner disk and through the wall of the stitching-head. Upon the inner end of each spring 90 against which a set-screw 100 bears,

the said screw bein tapped through the wall of the stitching-head. On the face of vertical head 57 is a cam 101, with which the end of the leaf-spring makes engagement as the needle-bar 63 passes upon the rail-section 61.

This cam flexes the spring and gives a positive tension to the thread, the sides of the cam being slightly inclined to permit the end of the spring to slide smoothly on and oif the cam. By this construction all the'threads on each head, except the one in actual use, are So of fabric to be made without difficulty with the thread still in the needles.

By this invention a great variety of designs may be worked either singly or in duplicate and in one color or different colors. It is especially adapted for either home use or for 0 manufacturing purposes by simply multiplying the number of stitching-heads.

The reciprocating driving-bar 5st may be vibrated by the heart-cam of the Singer type,

by direct action of a vibrating lever, or by 5 any suitable and convenient method.

I clai1n- 1. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with a reciprocating needle bar driver, of a stitching-head carrying a series of independ- IOO entneedle-bars, needles, thread-guides, and tension devices, said stitching-head having horizontal adjustment-in relation to the needle-bar driver, substantially as set forth.

2. In an embroidering-machine, the combi 1o 5 nation, with head 57, of a reciprocating needlebar'driver 5i, a'device for giving Vibratory movement to the driver 54, and a laterallyadjustable stitching-head carryinga series of independent needle-bars, needles, and a device for giving tension to the threads in use, said tension device consisting of a cam and spring and being adapted to release the tension from all needle-bars and thread not in working connection with the needle-bar driver.

3. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with a needle-bar driver, said driver having suitable connections for imparting to it regular vibratory movements, of a laterally-ad- 12o justa'ble stitching-head carrying a series of independentneedle-bars and means for adjusting said stitching-head in front of the I, driver-bar 54, substantially as set forth.

4-. In a sewing-machine, the combination,

with the reciprocating needle-bar driver and a part 57, giving suitable support to the needlebar driver, of a laterally-adjustable stitching-head carrying a series of independent needle-bars and needles, said needle bar driver having suitable working connection with the needle-bar upon the stitching-head, which is in the required position for work, substantially as set forth.

] removed from the fabric, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROSVELL '1. SMITH.

Witnesses:

CHAS. B. TILDEN, J. M. SMITH. 

